This invention provides a low-disturbance trolling transducer mount system and method for shallow-water fishing and similar situations presenting a need to navigate through vegetation without disturbing the vegetation or the water around the vegetation, while protecting the transducer and the trolling motor, and while providing the correct and optimum operations of the transducer and the trolling motor, including prevention of the trolling motor hindering the operation of the transducer, or vice versa.
Transducers, some of which are also known as “fish finders” are available to provide information about locations, distances and other qualities or quantities of things under water, such as the bottom surface, vegetation, obstructions, and fish. A transducer must be mounted underwater in a proper place and in a proper way to properly sense and report the data, and to avoid damage. For example, a transducer should not be mounted where the turbulence generated by a propeller can prevent accurate readings.
Trolling motors are available to provide slow propulsion to a waterborne vessel with a minimum of noise, vibration, wake, or turbulence.
Sub-surface vegetation is a good habitat for fish and a good location for fishing. It is not desirable to disturb such vegetation my cutting or pulling it up, or even to move it around very much, because such movement and turbulence disturbs the fish, because entanglement in vegetation can foul the trolling motor, necessitating disruptive remedial actions, and because turbulence prevents proper operation and correct readings from the transducer.
There is a need for a system and method for mounting a transducer in a correct relationship to a trolling motor for proper operation and for avoiding and protecting against impact or entanglement of either with vegetation or obstructions, with minimum cutting, tearing, and pulling, and resulting undesirable turbulence.
Numerous patents have been issued disclosing a bumper-like apparatus for protection of a motor, but all such patents differ in the purpose of the apparatus (for example, varying between protection, propulsion, or security), and the shape and manner of attachment to the shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,255 issued on Feb. 20, 1990 to Richard E. Faunda for “Weedguard for Electric Trolling Motor” discloses a weedguard for attachment to electric trolling motors having a motor housing and a motor support shaft, the weedguard comprising a lower triangular frame member portion and an upper arm portion, the triangular frame portion having a flange for attachment to the motor housing so that the triangular frame portion has one apex toward the front of the motor housing and extends downwardly and rearwardly from the apex with respect to the motor housing; the upper arm portion being secured to the triangular frame portion at that apex and extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom, and a rearward extension member extending from the upper arm portion toward the motor shaft for attachment to the motor shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,533 issued on Jan. 21, 1986 to Manfred H. Springer for “Boat Propeller Guard” discloses a guard comprised of a main rib with a shock absorbing end portion and a resilient rib which is secured to the main rib such that, when the guard is attached to an outboard motor which is mounted on a boat and which is submerged in water, the resilient rib is disposed forward of the end portion. The forward rib and the end portion extend one behind the other in the direction of travel of the boat so that the forward rib imparts additional shock absorbing properties to the guard. Further shock absorbing resilient ribs and accurate funneling bands to strengthen the guard may be secured to the main rib.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,643 issued on Oct. 7, 1997 to Michael J. Poppa for “Hydrofoil Accessory For Marine Propulsion Device” discloses a hydrofoil wing structure is disclosed to be employed as an accessory for a marine propulsion device, to be disposed above and mostly aft of the propelling means of such a device, to contour and concentrate the kinetic energy in the hydrodynamic vortex created by the propelling means; to reduce turbulence, vibration and noise by reflecting acoustic energy downwardly from the surface of the water; to increase the efficiency of such a device powered by an electric battery; to improve the steering and maneuverability of the vessel by providing a rudder for the device; and to serve as a guard preventing the propelling means from entanglement in vegetation or its damage from submerged objects, and to similarly shield a sonar transducer or other instrument used in conjunction with the device for finding fish or gauging the depth of the water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,461 issued on May 2, 1989 to Neil A. Newman for “Propeller Protector” discloses a propeller protector provided by a two-piece hub structure. Each piece has an inner arcuate portion substantially conforming to the side of the torpedo housing of the marine drive. Each piece has a pair of fins extending radially outwardly from the inner accurate portion and spaced axially forward of the propeller. Top rear, bottom rear and front clamps mount the two pieces to the torpedo housing on opposite sides thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,346 issued on Sep. 6, 1994 to Clarence A. Griffen for “Driveshaft Housing Attachment” discloses an apparatus for improving the efficiency of a propulsion unit having a driveshaft housing depending from the stern of a boat, while protecting swimmers and the propulsion unit. A plate member has an upper end to be positioned forward of a driveshaft housing and to depend accurately downwardly and rearwardly to terminate in a trailing lower end below a propeller. The plate member tapers outwardly along lateral edges from the upper end to the lower end to divert swimmers around and under a housing and a propeller attached thereto. The plate member reacts to the passage of water when under way to urge the boat's stern upwardly toward a more efficient operating position. The outer corner areas of the upper and lower ends are connected by outwardly curved rods to define a protection zone to protect body parts of swimmers by diverting them outwardly and downwardly under a propeller.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,470,874 issued May 24, 1949 to Harry A. Sidney for “Propeller Guard for Outboard Motors” discloses knife-like cutter members capable of moving through the water with minimum resistance and will not become entangled in weeds, but will move with an effective shearing action against any obstacles in its path, whether comprising weeds or submerged tree branches, and in which the blades can have a minimum cross section and capability of instant adjustment to a raised position above the water line when the propeller is operating in water free of weeds.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,140,099 issued on Dec. 13, 1938 to W. H. Wise for “Outboard Motor Propeller Guard” discloses a propeller and a fin at the lower end of said housing comprising a hanger rod, an offset upper end on said rod, a two-part separable clamp carried by said end and embracing the said housing, a curved bifurcated lower end on said rod and straddling the fin, a fastener separably securing the lower end to said fin, and a plurality of vertically spaced guard arms extending laterally from opposite sides of said rod and along opposite sides of the propeller in spaced relation to the path of rotation of said propeller and a hanger rod, an off-set upper end on said rod, a two-part separable clamp carried by said end and embracing the said housing, a curved bifurcated lower end on said rod and straddling the fin, a fastener separably securing the lower end to said fin, and a plurality of vertically spaced guard arms extending laterally from opposite sides of said rod and along opposite sides of the propeller in spaced relation to the path of rotation of said propeller, the lowermost arms being inset with respect to the uppermost arms of the series thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,054,374 issued Sep. 15, 1936 to H. H. Fuller for “Guard For Outboard Motors” discloses a guard which offers protection to the full propeller diameter but which at the same time does not reduce the efficiency of the propeller. By means of a simple clamp arrangement guards constructed in accordance with the invention may be easily installed on any type of outboard motor and can likewise be easily detached when not needed, as for example, when navigating only in deep waters and a guard which is so shaped or curved it will easily pass over solid objects and tend off weeds or light floating obstacles. a guard which will spring under impact—but will return to its-original shape and which is flexible to a degree that will minimize the impact between the motor and obstacles encountered. This is of importance, for while guards for outboard motors are known, they are as a rule not flexible, and, consequently, the impact upon striking a solid object often breaks the guard or the propeller shaft or blades. The invention further has for an object the provision of a guard for outboard motors, which will not wedge between two rocks.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,355,842 issued Aug. 15, 1944 to J. G. Arado for “Combined Cutter, Distributor, and Protector for Outboard Motors” discloses a combined cutter, distributor and protector, which successfully solves this long-existing problem. A device of this kind adapted to be readily and quickly attached and detached by unskilled hands to the well-known types of outboard motors, which device is provided with means for first cutting the vegetation and then conveying or distributing the vegetation outwardly and away from the propeller and prevents the vegetation from being sucked in or drawn into the propeller and becoming entwined therewith. A device with means for readily and quickly mounting it on an out-board motor in such a manner as to prevent the device or parts thereof from being thrown into contact with the rotating propeller blades in the event the fastening means become loose due to the tremendous vibration set up by the motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,319,640 issued on May 18, 1943 to B. A. Sink for “Propeller Guard” discloses an improved and highly effective shield for the propeller of an outboard motor for the purpose of preventing snagging of the propeller in weeds or being damaged by striking submerged objects; and for improving the efficiency of the propeller by minimizing currents and turbulence adjacent the same and thereby add to the efficiency thereof and to provide a shield of the foregoing character which is extremely simple and inexpensive in its parts and may be readily and quickly applied to types of outboard motors now in extensive use for the foregoing purposes. Second, to provide a shield of the foregoing character which is extremely simple and inexpensive in its parts and may be readily and quickly applied to types of outboard motors now in extensive use for the foregoing purposes. Third, to provide a combined weed guard or shield for a propeller for water craft which functions electively to prevent’ undue turbulence adjacent the propeller and which co-acts with the cavitation plate of the motor in greatly increasing the efficiency of operation of the propeller. Fourth, to provide a guard or shield of the type described having exceedingly simple provisions for removably securing the same on conventional types of outboard motors.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,025,825 issued Mar. 20, 1962 to R. H. Martinson for “Weed, Etc., Guard For Outboard Motors” discloses a weed guard for outboard motors that may be mounted on the lower unit of an outboard motor and positioned forwardly thereof and in alignment with the propulsion unit of the outboard motor so that the propulsion unit of the outboard motor will not become fouled with marine vegetation. A further object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a weed guard that will also project below the lower extremity of the lower unit of an outboard motor and be constructed of a resilient material whereby a submerged object in alignment with the movement of the lower portion of the “‘ice lower unit of the outboard motor will be engaged by the resilient weed guard rather than the lower unit of the outboard motor itself thus enabling the weed guard to absorb a considerable portion of the impact and to pivot the outboard motor to raise the lower unit thereof above the submerged object. Still another object of this invention is to provide a weed guard in accordance with the preceding objects, which will offer a minimum amount of resistance to its passage through water. A further object of this invention is to construct the arms of the fan-shaped member of a material sufficiently rigid to resist bending under light impact but sufficiently resilient to bend appreciably upon heavy impact so that extremely heavy impacts may be more readily absorbed thereby. A final object to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a device which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to secure to various types of outboard motor so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, durable in construction and simple to use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,516,315 issued May 14, 1996 to Clarence A. Griffen for “Driveshaft Housing Apparatus” discloses an apparatus for further improving the efficiency of a propulsion unit having a driveshaft depending from the stern of a boat, while protecting flora and fauna in the water as well as the propulsion unit. A plate member has an upper end adapted to be positioned forward of a driveshaft housing, and to depend downwardly and rearwardly to terminate in a trailing lower end below a propeller. The plate member tapers outwardly along lateral edges from the upper end to the lower end to divert flora and fauna around and under a housing and a propeller attached thereto. A lower portion of the plate member is divided into a plurality of spaced plate-like components defining passageways there between to enable water to flow there through for more efficient operation of a propeller. At the same time, the forward surfaces of the plate-like components react with passage of water when under way to urge a boat's stern upwardly to a more efficient hull operating position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,871 issued Jan. 12, 1988 to Eli Mendelevitch for “Aquatic Growth Cutter” discloses an upper and a lower blade are fixed together at an adjustable angle and have means for mounting same on the leading edge of the propeller drive housing of an inboard/outboard motor to cut kelp and other seaweed which would otherwise foul the prop and clog the cool, sea water input vents. The cutter has adjustable brackets which will accommodate a wide variety of different types of propeller drive housings, and will accommodate outboard motors as well as inboard motors, and will even fit on the advance edge a sailboat keel. In one embodiment, it has a combination brace/mesh screen which extends from the cutter to the propeller drive housing in front of the cooling water inlets to keep bits of seaweed and other debris from entering and clogging the cooling system, causing overheating the destruction of the motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,977 issued Sep. 9, 1997 to Paul J. Dinkowitz et al. for “Boat Propeller Sled” discloses a boat propeller sled comprising a spine, straps attached to the spine, and rails attached to the spine. The straps are sized to fit around an outboard motor lower unit, and to securely attach the spine to the lower unit. Each rail comprises a base attached to the spine, a forward ramp attached to the base, a runner attached to the forward ramp, and a rear ramp attached to the runner. In the preferred embodiment, the bases are attached to the spine at an angle of approximately ninety degrees, the forward ramps slope forward at an angle of approximately sixty degrees relative to the horizon, the runners are substantially horizontal, and the rear ramps slope upwards towards the rear at an angle of approximately thirty degrees relative to the horizon.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,961,249 issued Feb. 24, 2015 to Frederick Stearn for “Guard and Method for Protecting Wildlife” discloses a guard for protecting wildlife, which mounted on an outboard motor having a propeller and keel below an anti-ventilation plate. The guard has a spaced pair of bars each with an upper section, a lower section and between them a midsection. The upper sections of the bars can be attached to opposite sides of the anti-ventilation plate in order to position the lower sections below the propeller and keel. The lower sections have a smooth, projection-free streamline for avoiding snagging on sea weed.